Among the cookware Wei Jinyun bought, the iron pot was the most expensive. This large pot, nearly half her height, could sit on the stove for stewing meat and stir-frying vegetables, and was also suitable for making oil cakes and shortbread.
The earthenware stall offered affordable items. She bought two stacks of clay bowls and plates, each nicely fired with a few painted floral patterns, all for less than thirty wen in total.
No wonder everyone loved the morning market so much. The bowls and earthenware pots she bought yesterday in front of Tianqing Temple had cost several wen each, even after haggling until she was blue in the face.
Just as she packed these into her carrying basket, she spotted someone selling stone millstones and wooden mortars with stone pestles on the bridge, all at very reasonable prices. Making pastries required grinding rice flour and pounding glutinous rice, and buying processed rice from grain shops was no better than grinding it herself.
However, most buyers of millstones had their own donkey carts or wooden carts to haul them away. Hiring a shop assistant for home delivery to Tianqing Temple would cost over ten wen extra.
Wei Jinyun wandered around a bit more and inquired at livestock shops. The cheapest sturdy donkey would still cost several guan. She reluctantly patted a donkey’s head, gritting her teeth as she imagined taking one home someday.
Pingjiang Fu had an abundance of fabric sellers, with Chang Gate specializing in silk trade. Wei Jinyun selected a bolt each of ramie and linen with appealing patterns.
The feel of silk and gauze fabrics was truly exquisite—light, thin, and breathable. She planned to earn more money in the future to buy such fabrics for her grandmother and younger sisters.
Further into the Chang Gate market was a dedicated area for masons and carpenters, all registered with guilds and guaranteed for their craftsmanship.
In the wood and stone trade, brick and tile shops worked alongside masons, while timber merchants partnered with carpenters, eliminating the need to source materials separately and then seek skilled artisans.
In truth, there were also masons under the arched bridge in front of Tianqing Temple and in the corner where Wei Jinyun had bought her bowls and plates earlier. They waited for work with trowels and mud boards, and one could approach them directly to negotiate prices.
Their rates were cheaper than those in the guilds, but as a newcomer, she wasn’t lucky enough to find an honest worker.
If someone cut corners on her project, took the money, and disappeared into the crowd, leaving her with leaks and water damage later, where would she go to seek redress?
She didn’t ask the two aunties from yesterday either. With their years of experience, they likely knew many people and would probably recommend “acquaintances.”
So-called help from acquaintances was the hardest to refuse or criticize.
Wei Jinyun had a friend whose family contracted their tile installation to her father’s brother. Upon inspection, the seams were misaligned, and two years later, the ceramic tiles on the balcony began to warp, creaking like mice when stepped on.
Yet they still had to pay in full, treat him to meals, and greet him cheerfully as “Uncle” during holidays.
She wouldn’t fall for such “familiarity exploitation.”
There were many shops in the mason and carpenter district. She wandered left and right, comparing prices, and finally chose the innermost one.
Markets were always like this—the deeper inside, the quieter the business.
Outside Zhou's Brick and Tile Shop, bricks were piled waist-high, their bluish-gray surfaces coated with a thin layer of kiln dust.
Wei Jinyun crouched down, randomly pulled out a brick, rubbed her palm over its surface, and tapped the corner with her finger.
With a “thud,” the brick emitted a muffled yet crisp sound—a sign of solid, high-quality brick.
The stacked butterfly tiles nearby also caught her eye—their surfaces were smooth, with just the right curvature. After decades of wear, many of the tiles at home had cracked. Yesterday, while the two aunts were sweeping and cleaning, a tile had fallen and nearly hit someone on the head.
If they were going to replace the tiles, they might as well replace all the ones on top. When it came to renovation materials, they couldn’t afford to cut corners.
Neither Grandmother nor the two younger sisters should be harmed by something as trivial as a few tiles.
Shopkeeper Zhou was lounging in a rattan chair eating watermelon when he noticed someone inspecting the bricks and tiles. He quickly wiped his hands and went to greet her. "You have an excellent eye, madam. Our tiles don’t hold water when it rains, and the eaves are neatly aligned—perfect for building a side room."
After speaking, he gave Wei Jinyun a careful once-over, his eyes shifting thoughtfully. "If you’re building or renovating, then with three hundred blue bricks, two hundred butterfly tiles, along with tile nails and ridge tiles, you’d have just enough to build one room. That’ll be one string and two hundred copper coins in total."
Wei Jinyun straightened up and pointed to the bottom layer of the brick pile. "Those few bricks have chipped corners. Count them in the total to offset the wear and tear. The top stack of tiles is muddy, but I’m not picky—I’ll take them all."
She stood on tiptoe to glance inside and saw two masons idly sharing a melon. The tiles were stacked and covered in mud, suggesting they hadn’t had a sale in a while.
There were already plenty of shops in the wood and stone craftsmen’s quarter, and theirs was tucked away at the very end. How could they possibly compete with the businesses at the entrance?
"One string of coins, paid on the spot. Your shop is at the end of the alley. If I haul away this entire batch today, the neighbors will see it and know you sell honestly. Your business will only improve from here. If you keep the goods piled up, once the kiln delivers new stock, these will become old stock and lose even more value. My shop is being renovated, and I’m also short on masons. How about…"
Wei Jinyun frowned, sighed, and put on a look of someone struggling to hire help.
Shopkeeper Zhou glanced at the sun, then at the two idle workers inside his shop swatting flies, and cleared his throat. "Madam, how about taking a look at our masons? Xiao Zhang, Er Niu!"
The men swatting flies inside came over at the call.
Shopkeeper Zhou patted one of them on the shoulder and grinned at Wei Jinyun. "See this, madam? This is my nephew, Xiao Zhang. He’s been learning the craft since he was a boy and has been building houses and laying walls for twenty years. Just look at his build…"
As he spoke, he gave Xiao Zhang’s muscular arm a playful punch. "To be honest with you, he built the study for Scholar Wang from Shantang. The corners of those walls are so tight you’d have to squint to see the seams. They never leak, even in the rain. If you hire him, I guarantee your house will stand for sixty years without a single loose brick!"
He then winked at the other man. "Our Er Niu is a master at laying tiles. Last year, during that fierce storm, only the houses he worked on along the whole street didn’t leak. And what’s more, he eats three bowls of rice in one sitting and works from dawn till dusk without stopping. Start today, finish tomorrow, and you can move in the day after!"
Shopkeeper Zhou rattled all this off without even pausing for breath, just stroking his beard and looking at Wei Jinyun expectantly.
The two men, embarrassed by the shopkeeper’s praise, scratched their heads and gave Wei Jinyun honest, simple smiles.
It wasn’t nearly as exaggerated as the shopkeeper made it sound.
Wei Jinyun was laughing inside.
But she held it back.
She really ought to visit Caoshi more often in the future and learn how they honed their sales pitches.
They were just too good at talking.
The two of them hit it off right away. They immediately fetched paper and drafted a contract—
Three hundred blue bricks, including six defective ones; two hundred butterfly tiles, with twenty-nine mud-stained pieces; thirty tile nails; fifteen ridge tiles—total one string of cash, delivered on the same day.
Two masons, labor cost eighty cash per person, deposit one hundred cash, completion in five days.
Wei Jinyun and Shopkeeper Zhou pressed their fingerprints, completing the transaction with both silver and goods settled.
Shopkeeper Zhou issued the receipt today, counting the silver coins with a smile. "Madam, young as you are, you know the trade better than us builders. I'll have Xiao Zhang and Er Niu hitch the donkey cart right away and follow you to unload. We'll make sure everything's unloaded before noon, then start work."
Wei Jinyun gave a light cough. "Wait a moment, I still need to have a few pieces of furniture made for the shop. I bought some things outside earlier, and seeing there's still space on your donkey cart, could you spare some room to load them?"
Shopkeeper Zhou finished counting the money and went back to eating his watermelon. Nowadays, watermelons tasted crisp and sweet as honey, truly as if soaked in a layer of honey water.
He continued with a smile, "Of course, of course. Xiao Zhang, go with the madam and help her carry the things."
Xiao Zhang followed Wei Jinyun back to Caoshi and saw her "few things."
One iron pot, three earthenware pots, two clay stoves, one stone millstone, three wooden mortars with stone pestles, two rolls of cloth, two sacks of rice, flour…
Xiao Zhang kept the shopkeeper's instructions in mind, helping Wei Jinyun move everything. His face flushed red with effort as he finally managed to lift the largest stone millstone onto the cart.
While he was busy moving the goods, Wei Jinyun swiftly made her way to the carpenter's workshop. She had deliberately taken a roundabout route earlier to observe—this Wang's Carpenter Workshop was run by a middle-aged couple who not only made tables and chairs but also dealt in bamboo weaving.
At the entrance of the shop were several benches, a high-backed chair, and a few bamboo baskets.
Shopkeeper Wang was hunched over, pushing a plane as wood shavings flew about. Beside him sat the nimble-fingered Madam Wang, weaving an exquisite bamboo basket.
Madam Wang was the first to notice Wei Jinyun. She immediately stopped her work. "Ah, a madam! Please come in, please come in. Are you here to look at furniture or bamboo ware? My husband Wang is skilled, and the bamboo items I weave are sturdy and durable."
Carpenter Wang, who had been pushing the plane, looked up at the sound, put down his tools, and wiped his hands with the sweat towel hanging from his shoulder.
Wei Jinyun spoke clearly, offering a faint smile. "To be honest with both of you, I've taken over a shop and plan to sell food in the future. Today, I'm here to buy some tables, chairs, and furniture for the opening, as well as three beds."
Madam Wang's eyes lit up, mentally calculating that this was a big customer. She immediately stood up. "For food sales, tables and chairs are the face of the business! Old Wang, quickly bring out that newly made long table for the madam to see."
She turned to Wei Jinyun. "Don't worry, we understand the tables and chairs for dining halls—thick materials, guaranteed not to wobble."
Carpenter Wang and Madam Wang worked together to carry out a long table. Carpenter Wang patted the tabletop. "Take a look. The tabletop is of suitable thickness, the legs are made of hardwood, and the joints are tightly mortised. It'll stand as firm as a mountain in your shop."
Wei Jinyun stepped forward to carefully inspect the table legs and tested the sturdiness of the chairs, nodding in satisfaction. "Your craftsmanship is indeed excellent. I also need three sturdy and durable beds, made of beech or good-quality fir wood. But more importantly, I need long tables and chairs, as well as three sets each of large and small bamboo steamers."
She looked at Madam Wang. "The steamers need to be woven tightly to prevent steam from leaking—they're for steaming buns and pastries."
Madam Wang nodded in assurance. "Leave the steamers to me. The bamboo from our Pingjiang Fu has a fresh, fragrant scent, and I scrape the splints smooth and glossy, ensuring they won't stick or leak steam. By this count, the lady has quite a few items to make."
Wei Jinyun chimed in at the right moment. "Right now, expenses are needed everywhere, and this cost is indeed substantial. I see you're both honest people, so I'd appreciate some consideration on the price. In the future, if my shop needs more additions or repairs, I'll naturally turn to your family."
Madam Wang's smile remained unchanged. "You're a straightforward person. We run a small business, and our prices are always fair. Look, this beechwood bed uses ample material and fine craftsmanship—one bed alone costs at least this much…"
She gestured with her fingers to indicate a price, then went on to list the tables, chairs, stools, and steamers with bamboo baskets.
Wei Jinyun argued back and forth with the couple, expending quite a bit of effort, and finally bargained down to a price she was comfortable with.
The beds were ready-made, made of decent wood but without any fancy decorations—just sturdy enough for a good night's sleep. The Wang couple called their son, hitched up the cart, and together they loaded the beds onto it, planning to return with Wei Jinyun shortly.
Three beds cost her six hundred wen.
As for the tables, chairs, stools, and steamers with bamboo baskets, they signed a contract:
Six firwood long tables, twelve long benches, six rattan chairs made of mao bamboo, and three sets of steamers with bamboo baskets in various sizes. The total cost for labor and materials was one guan and eight hundred wen, with a deposit of three hundred wen paid upfront. Delivery was set for half a month later, with inspection according to the sample, and the deposit refunded if the items didn't meet the standard.
Madam Wang held the contract in her hand, staring at it for a while, thinking to herself that this lady, though slender and young in appearance, was sharp-witted and spoke with eloquence.
Wei Jinyun had two copies of the contract, holding them along with the earlier clay stove contract. "However, there's one more job I'd like to entrust to Uncle Wang. If you can do it, we'll include it in the contract along with the furniture we just ordered."
Hearing there was more business, and that it sounded unusual, both Madam Wang and Carpenter Wang perked up. "What else do you need, lady? As long as it's made of wood or bamboo, our family can give it a try."
Carpenter Wang clutched the blueprint Wei Jinyun had given him, his eyes narrowing into slits.
It resembled some of the pushcarts in Caoshi, but with some differences.
Four wheels formed a sturdy base, not particularly large in size. Above the base was a two-tiered wooden cabinet. The lower tier was partially enclosed with wood, while the upper tier was a flat, spacious work surface, surrounded on three sides by low railings.
One section of the work surface had a plank that could be lifted upward, revealing a pre-cut square hole underneath. Its size and position aligned perfectly with the clay stove placed in the lower tier.
Another plank nearby was similar but not positioned above the stove. It wasn't hollowed out underneath; when lifted, it revealed a counter for placing ingredients, seasonings, and a cash box.
Above the blueprint, a simple sketch showed a detachable, lightweight canopy frame, with a note beside it suggesting oilcloth or bamboo matting.
"I've never seen anything like this."
Carpenter Wang glanced up at Wei Jinyun. "I can give it a try. I'll make a prototype first, and you can take a look. No deposit required."
He was used to making tables, chairs, and stools, and had even worked on carriages and sedan chairs a few times. A clever little pushcart like this was something he was eager to try.
By the time she finished at Caoshi, Wei Jinyun felt she had talked herself hoarse. She had thought it would take an hour at most, but when she stepped out of the carpentry and masonry workshop and looked up, it was nearly noon.
The vendors at the fried bun and shaomai stalls were already washing bowls and packing up, having passed the morning meal hour.
Wei Jinyun wasn’t too hungry. She stopped at a tea stall for a bowl of perilla water, bought a bag of deep-fried stinky tofu skewered on bamboo sticks to eat, then weighed out two jin of candied apricots for her younger sisters and a jar of walnuts for her grandmother.
Deep-fried stinky tofu was best dipped in chili sauce, but unfortunately, chili peppers weren’t available yet. The vendors used chopped mustard greens soaked in garlic water instead, which gave it a unique flavor.
Wei Jinyun took a bite. The surface had a thin, crispy skin, while the inside was fluffy and soft—crispy on the outside, tender within, with that distinctive savory-stinky aroma.
And a bit spicy.
Lu Lan liked candied kumquats, and there was a Honey Preserves Shop near Changmen Wharf with a good reputation, which he often visited.
But it was apricot season in June, and Madam Shen inside the shop enthusiastically recommended them to him, so he promptly weighed out five jin of candied apricots.
Carrying the wrapped candied apricots, he turned around and caught another glimpse of that graceful figure.
In her left hand, she held an oil-paper package, while in her right, she held two bamboo sticks—just like him, she had bought some honey preserves.
With a bold step, she hopped onto a donkey cart.
He narrowed his eyes, watching the distant moving cart as she leaned against a stone mill, skewered a piece of stinky tofu with a bamboo stick, and huffed from the spiciness.
Author’s Note:
Lu passes by again~ [three-flowered cat head]
The friend with mice squeaking on the balcony floor is me (how outrageous